The Courage To Succeed
May 12th, 2008 by BolaOni
Some days back, I had the opportunity of speaking with a lady and ever since I have not been able to erase the lessons I learnt that day from my memory. I just couldn’t believe all I heard that precious night because it was like a story of impossibility. After listening to the lady’s story, I promised myself I will have to share the story with everyone I know. I have shared it with my fiancee and she was as dazed as I was afterwards.
Abigael is a lady I have know for some months because she was staying with my neighbours. It took a while before I warmed up to her but after I did, we started talking little by little. The first time I asked how her work is going on, I was replied that it is not work but tutorial center. Being the time for JAMB Examination, I concluded she was preparing for her the examination.
I started getting baffled considering her age because she was in her late twenties. The next time I asked why she was just preparing for JAMB and she told me she left Secondary School in the 90s but had some personal issues that didn’t allow her take her education seriously. I had no reason to doubt her but the next day, she came told me we needed to talk about our last discussion because she didn’t tell me the full story. I told her she is welcomed anytime she wish to talk to me.
The opportunity came when I walked up to her and started sharing my own story and also my philosophies and the lessons I have learnt in life. This spurred her to open up to me and it is one of the most amazing stories I have ever heard. She first started by telling me all she told me initially were cooked up by her. I will try as much as possible to share the story she related to me but I am not assuring you of accuracy but you will still get a lot to learn from the story of this amazing lady.
Abigael grew up in a family, in a town in Ogun State, that believed it is a sheer waste of time to invest in the education of a female child. To complicate issues, she lost her father at an early age and her hope of getting educated at all was thrown out of the windows because her father was still contemplating sending her to school. The next head of the family told them point blank that no female child will ever go to school. Every attempt to make Abigael attend school was rebuffed by this man. She said seeing other kids go to school is a sight that pains her but she is too young and helpless to do anything about her situation.
At about age 11 or so, she was apprenticed to a soap maker so that she can learn the trade but she was turned to an errand girl or better still a house help by this woman. She said she did so many odd jobs for this woman throughout her stay with her and when it was four months to her rounding up her apprenticeship, the woman told her brother she is yet to master the “trade” and she will have to spend more time with her. Her brother promised to come for her at the expiration of their agreed period, which he did. At the end of her apprenticeship, she couldn’t make any soap and she was asked to go into trading. She started with buying and selling of fresh fish and later turned into frying fish and then to frying Garri (cassava flakes) but all the businesses didn’t turn to success because a lot of people were buying on credit.
At the end of the day, she got frustrated and she decided not to do any form of trading again. Succour came in the form of her cousin that came to the village from Lagos in 1995 or so, this cousin facilitated her coming to Lagos and she was apprenticed to another woman that promised to help improve her entrepreneurship drive by investing in her soap-making experience. It turned out that this woman didn’t keep to her promise and she was turned to a sales girl.
Being in an academic community, the fire of getting educated was rekindled in her. Don’t forget that she has NEVER being in the four walls of a classroom for even a second in her life and she was around 15 years old then. The customers of her boss were also encouraging her to go to school because they noticed she was intelligent. Luck brought a lady across her path who told her to tell her boss she operates a coaching center for kids. As fate would have it, her boss and her family was transfered inside Unilag Campus and they had to stop operating the business they were running. When the woman asked her what she wanted to do afterwards, she told her she would love to go to school.
She started attending the lady’s coaching as a special student and she had to start from ABC at the age of 16 years. She was not perturbed by anything and she took everything serious. At a point one of the ladies on campus asked her what she was doing at the lady’s place and when she told her, she was told an evening school exixts somewhere around. She immediately asked the lady to take her to the place and that was how she started in Primary two.
Abigael finished primary school at about twenty years and started an evening secondary school afterwards. She was forced to quit the home of her boss because there were so much pressure on her which were causing her to lose concentration on her studies. She went through a lot after that and even had to pick up a job at a pure water factory just for her to be able to pay her way to school. People that saw her determination to complete her education, came to her aid and she was helped in various degrees to the attainment of her goal.
As there is always a light at the end of every dark tunnel in life, Abigael, completed her secondary education. She even passed all her papers! The interesting part is that she completed her education at around 27 years of age, an age a lot of people have started working after their University education. She is now preparing for the University Matriculation Examination.
I was speechless for a long time after she finished narrating her story. I kept looking at her and was wondering what could have kept her going despite all the challenges she faced while pursuing her dreams. I have met people who use their parent’s inability to send them to school as an excuse for not moving forward in life and here is someone that took her destiny in her hands and ensuring nothing stopped her from fulfilling her dream. I went to bed thinking about the lesson I have just being thought and I even woke up with the thought on my mind.
What will the world be like if we all follow our dreams? What would we have achieved if we have never allowed anything to stand in our ways of achieving our heart desires? As a dreamer, what price of discomfort are we willing to pay in order to achieve our dreams? This story calls for serious thought and decision as well. What are your excuses? What have you learnt from this story? What are you going to do about the lessons learnt? This is up to you.
As a way of honouring this lady, I will appreciate if we do something unusual today that we have NEVER done before. I will appreciate if everone will send an sms or even call this role model to wish her well in her UME and her future endeavours. I am sure she will be surprised but at the same time, she will be encouraged to keep pursuing her dreams. I sent an sms before I went to bed the very night she told me this story and I want you to do the same TODAY! Her number is 234-8028591869. Just let her know how inspiring her story has been to you and all the nice things you wish her. I know she will NEVER forget this wonderful gesture. Be a difference maker in someone’s life TODAY!
My last challenge to you is this: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND AT ACHIEVING IT!
I am looking forward to sharing your story on this website SOON! Make your life count.
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well i love every thing in dat story ok
hi Adebola, thanks for this wonderful and inspiring story.this is really inspiring and touching. it’s true one can achieve anything one desire in life if one puts his/her mind to it and determined.i wish her all the best in life.God will see her through all her life’s endeavours.i like her courage and determination.
lawal,
thanks for visiting and for loving the story.
cheers
Funmi,
Quite a long time. Thanks for coming back and your wonderful comment. I wish to bring Abigael here one day to read everybody’s great comment and hope you guys will care enough to send her an sms or call her.
Cheers
Talk of determination against all odds and to think that many of us have wonderful opportunities to improve our lot one way or the other and we give unreasonable excuses.
Thanks a lot. i’m inspired to achieve my set goal which i have been postponing for a while now.
You are welcome Sunday!
You have no choice than to follow your dream!
All the best
Hi,
This is one of those stories that turn lives around for better.I promise you that right away from here in The Netherlands, I will give the lady a call.
Kenny,
You are GREAT! I am sure she will be very elated and encouraged to achieve so much more in life.
I hope others will follow suite.
Love you man
For taking the step you`ve taken you have really encourage her the more.
Photoman
Hi Bola,
This is awesome, and am really touched by the story. I will send an
sms to wish her the very best in her educational pursuits.
Keep up the good work BOLA.
Photoman,
true talk. Hope you are doing great.
Thanks adewale lawal.
She has been receiving a lot of messages and yours won’t be one too much.
Thanks all for contributing to a noble cause.
Love you all
Bola thanks a lot for this story, this almost look like my own life story too, but mine is a little better off, tell her to keep up she will soon get there, I love her and appreciate her courage. thanks for sharing the story.
Funmi,
You are always welcome my sister. I hope to spend some time with you so that I can listen to your story. We still have an appointment you have not fulfilled.
Hope you are doing great.
Cheers
Bola Oni,
You are a gift to this generation, keep it up!
I surely believed sister Abigael is going far with this kind of heart.
DETERMINATION IS THE MOTIVATION OF ACHIEVEMENT. Am encourage with this story.
Dear Bola,
If i should say God bless u it will still not be enough for this thought provoking article but this is my wish for u that God in his infinite mercy continue to guide and guard you, inspire you also and relese the grace to function more than u’ve ever been in Jesus name.
Taiwo,
This is God in action, not me o.
Thanks for your comment.
cheers
Pedro,
amen, Amen, AMen, AMEn, AMEN, AMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!
Thanks my brother
Cool stuff, keep it up.
Bola,
I have been involved in social and charity work for a long time and I have met people that are as unfortunate as Abigeal.It is a reflection of how bad our system is.In some parts of the world , children are paid allowances to be in school.With all the riches we have,our leaders are busy stealing from the commom purse instead of providing the BASICS.People like Aby always make it in life.I will definitely get in touch with her today.JAMB exams are a few hours away.
Best regards.
Great and awe-inspiring story.
Indeed, we are the architects and bear full responsibility for the results we make of our lives. Where there’s a will and unwavering faith, there’s always a way.
Thank you Plato.
God bless you
nnamdi,
It is a pity we find ourselves in this type of system, but as I always tell people, it is not the system, it is YOU!
It is our decisions that determine our destinies.
God bless you Sir!
adetayo,
True talk! We are indeed the architect of our lot in life.
Have a funfilled day
It is indeed an inspiring story. I hope many people will learn from here.
Cheers.
A very touchy story indeed.May God give her the stength to continue with her believe and determination.She is really really the girl! I shall give her a shout.Do have a great weekend Bolly.!
Thanks Abegunde for your comment. Hope you are doing well.
Cheers
Ben,
Very touchy indeed! Will appreciate if you give her the shout out as so many people have done. She is indeed overwhelmed.
Have a great weekend too my man.
Bola,
I joined others to appreciate this wonderfull lady called
Abigael,she is indeed deserved all the encouragement
she can get from this platform.
she will receive my sms as she wake today JAMB DAY and also add
my voice to those who had called her.
Bolly you are such a wonderful guy.
May God continue to strengthen you in all your endeavours.
Shibra,
Thanks for your great comment my man. Hope your call went through anyway. The JAMB is over and the call should now be best of Luck!
God bless you my man
Wao! Really, this is an inspiring story. its just one out of similar cases that are abound in our society.. I pray she gets the admission she earnestly desire…. The sky is just a stepping board for her…. Great work you are doing Bola… This is my first time on your site…..keep it up. cheers!
Morgan,
Thanks for your visit and the wonderful comments.
Visited your blog and it is beautiful!
cheers
Dedication. Dedication. Dedication. I love the ladies courage. It surely get something new started in me. Thank you Mr Motivator. I will surely share this with some people.
Lateef
Rich Kid,
Sorry I didn’t respond to this on time.
I hope you are doing wonderfully well no. So glad to have you here.
cheers
hi bola i am fully loaded with this story,well i hope God will help her to achieve her goal.i love this,it inspired and motivate me well kudos to you adebola
Thanks ibukun for your comment.
Mr. Bola,
Thanks for the story, it’s so touching.
I can see FAITH, COURAGE & DETERMINATION in her action. I wish her the very best in her life endeavours. Ride on, It shall be well
Hello Toyin,
Thanks for your comment.
cheers
Hello,
The girl’s determination is most challenging. I even called her to be sure she was real. She said the Jamb result is out and her score was 228. Determination, they say, is the key to success.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Ozioma.
Ozioma,
You are GREAT! Was close to her when you called and she was VERY excited!
Hope you guys can work out an appointment when you come to Lagos.
cheers
Good and very titivating story and thanks gee, Persistency, sucess in todays terms is encaped in this story, which entails 99% of perspiration and sure slowly the snail got to the ark, but hey shool-a-stica as per paperification is just another matrix of orients and occidents of chalklines drawn before our eyes to mock our timidity and get us into the programme of subculturization and praschade. The real education are her experiences and not Jamb paper test or FFCE.
hello moderator, the story sounds very familiar only and good to say is that the corncerned party number dispalyed makes the testimony more appreciative. Good work bob, i will not only give a call but make sure she encourages a friend who is also in a similar shoe. Maybe together they could form a foundation or something more. But for real. thumbs upfor the work.
oyekola taiwo t
Nice and encouraging story. Keep it up OgaBola